The Ember Island Players
by SteelersGirl43
Summary: Zuko and Katara have never really thought about their feelings for each other, until they see The Ember Island Players play.


Zuko and Aang were in the courtyard practicing their firebending shirtless, and Katara was sitting on the steps with Toph watching.

"Don't you think it's kind of weird we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?" Katara asked Toph. Zuko was sitting on the fountain with a towel wiping the sweat off his neck.

"I told you, he hasn't been here since our family was actually happy, and that was a long time ago. It's the last place anyone would think too look for us." He replied to her remark. Katara looked over at him, and couldn't help but stare. Zuko was looking down at the ground, and looked back up and saw Katara staring at him. He smirked and Katara blushed and looked away.

"What just happened?" Toph whispered to Katara. "I felt your heart get faster."

"Nothing." Katara replied.

"You're lying." Toph said with a sing song voice. Sokka ran up to everyone with a poster in his hand, _Thank you Sokka._ Katara thought to herself.

"You're never gonna believe this! There's a play about us."

"We were just in town and we found this poster." Suki interjected while Sokka held it up.

"What? How is this possible?" Katara asked while getting up and walking over to him. Aang and Toph followed, while Zuko stayed back, not to thrilled about it.

"The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from a claimed play write Pu An Tim. They scowered the globe looking for information on the Avatar. From the icy South Pole to the Heart of Ba Sing Se. the sources include singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war, and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbages." Sokka read from the poster.

"Brought to you by the critically Ember Island Players." Suki added.

"Ugh!" Zuko exclaimed while slouching and everyone looked at him. "My mother used to take me to see them. They butchered Love Amongst the Dragons every year." Katara looked at him with her eye brows raised and it was Zuko's turn to blush. _Zuko blushing? That's a new one._

"Sokka are you sure it's good to see a play about ourselves?" Katara asked turning to face him.

"Come on, a day at the theater, This is the kind of whacky time wasting nonsense I've been missing!"

XXXX

As they were walking towards the theater, Zuko and Katara had fallen back a few steps.

"Hey, Zuko, could you do me a favor?" Katara asked quietly.

"What?" He asked.

"If Aang tries to sit beside me, could you not let him?" She asked nervously.

"Do you want me to sit beside you?" He asked with a smirk.

"No, it's just that Aang has this crush on me, and I don't feel the same way and he gets kind of annoying with it."

"Okay. You know you should just tell him."

"It's Aang, he'll be easily hurt."

"True."

The Gaang took their seats in the nosebleed section of the theater. Toph and Katara sat next to each other, and Zuko on the other side of Katara, bumping Aang over.

"Hey, Uh, I wanted to sit there." Aang said nervously.

"Just sit next to me, what's the big deal?"

"I was just, I wanted too, okay." He said with a sad expression on his face.

"Thanks…" Katara whispered to Zuko.

"Welcome." He replied.

"Why are we sitting in the nosebleed section? My feet can't see a thing!" Toph piped up.

"Don't worry, I'll tell you feet what's happening." Katara said and Zuko smirked. The curtain rised and the play began. Sokka tapped Katara's shoulder at the first scene and smiled with an excited noise. Most of the Gaang had an expression on their face at the sight of this.  
"This is horrible! My jokes are way funnier than that!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Well this is just silly. I don't sound like that!" Katara said while crossing her arms, as everyone else laughed. Zuko was still smiling when he looked over at her. She was upset.

"Oh man, this writers a guineas!" Toph spoke up through laughter.

"I don't do that! That's not what I'm like! And I'm not a woman!" Aang exclaimed, and everyone was looking at him and laughing, even Zuko, who rarely laughed. Or smiled for that matter. Toph let out a laugh and spoke up, again.

"Oh they nailed you twinkle toes!"

The next scene came on, and this time it was about Zuko.

"They make me look totally stiff and humorless."

"Actually, I think that actor pretty spot on." Katara said while looking at him. Zuko's good eye widened.

"How could you say that?" He asked while facing her. As he looked into her blue eyes he felt different. He always did when he looked at Katara; it wasn't the same with Mai. He turned back to face the stage trying to figure out his feelings for her. He had always admired her, but not in that way. But the way she was staring at him earlier made him think that she felt something. But he didn't know. Why was all this so confusing?

When Katara looked into his golden eyes, she felt butterflies in her stomach. She had always thought Zuko was cute, even when he was angry and had a disgusted look on his face.

"Maybe we should forget about the Avatar and get massages!" The actor playing Iroh spoke up.

"How could you say that?" The Zuko actor exclaimed. Katara gave Zuko an 'I told you so' look and he made a face and slouched. Katara smiled at this; she loved it when she messed with Zuko. A few scenes passed and the next began, of her and Jet. She blushed at the memory, as the Katara actress was sobbing.

"Don't cry baby, I'll wipe out this town for you!" The Actor Jet said. The fake water went by, and the Katara actress put her hand on the Jet actors' chest.

"Oh Jet, you're so bad." They were raised up to the ceiling, and Zuko and Aang had a scowl on their faces. Toph laughed and leaned closer to Katara.

"I knew you and Jet had a relationship." Zuko heard this and looked over at Katara who was looking around nervously. He put his hand out and touched hers, she looked up into his eyes.

"It's okay." He whispered, and took his hand back. Katara's faced felt warm and her butterflies were back. As Zuko looked at the screen he smiled to himself.

The rest of the scenes were still playing, and the intermission finally came. They all sat out on the stairs; Sokka stuffing his face with jerky.

"So far, this intermission is the best part of the play." Zuko said.

"I know!" Sokka replied while munching on jerky and he and Suki started talking about the Sokka character and his jokes.

"Obviously the play writer did his research, and what you're seeing on the stage is true." Toph said.

*Five Minutes Later*

The Toph actor came up from under the stage lifting the ceramic rock. When he spoke, Zuko dropped the paper he was looking at and looked at the stage with his jaw on the ground.

"Wait a minute, I sound like a guy, a really buff guy!" Toph exclaimed.

"Well Toph, what you hear is the truth. It hurts, doesn't it?" Katara asked trying to sound cool.

"Are you kidding me? I wouldn't have cast it any other way! At least it's not a flying bald lady!" Aang had a scowl type look on his face and Katara chuckled at that. She didn't pay much attention to the play, until she saw Zuko face palming.

"Zuko! You're hair, it has gone too far!" The actor Iroh said. Katara laughed and looked at Zuko.

"Maybe it has." She said running her hand through his hair then looking back at the play a bit embarrassed that she just did that.

"Maybe we should…split up!" The actor Zuko said while flipping his hair, then walking off stage. Zuko's face was red, and he looked at Katara who wasn't really paying attention. She looked down and messed with a string on her clothes until she heard something that made her stomach drop.

"I have to admit, Prince Zuko, I find you really attractive." The actress Katara spoke with a seductive voice. She looked at Zuko, who was smirking.

"You don't have to make fun of me." He responded, and turned his head the other direction.

"But I mean it. I've had eyes for you since the day you first captured me."

Katara and Zuko looked at each other at the same time then slowly scooted apart, both blushing. Katara had to admit, this write _was_ spot on. _WAIT. What did I just think? _She asked herself, and the butterflies came back.

"Wait! I thought you were the Avatar's girl!"

"Ahaha, the Avatar? Why, he's like a little brother to me! Besides, how could he ever find out about this?" The actors were hugging and holding hands and Katara's face was red. So was Zuko's. They looked at each other again, and Katara's face managed to turn a deeper shade of red. Aang got up, and Sokka was asking for food, again. The next scene was about Zuko and his Uncle. Zuko leaned against the railing, hating himself for that. He wished he could take it all back.

"You didn't really say that? Did you?" Katara asked.

"I might as well have." Zuko said turning his head away. He got up, like Aang and left. He didn't want to watch anymore of this stupid play. Katara stood up and went after him.

"What's with them?" Sokka asked Suki and she just shrugged. Katara found Zuko outside, on the deck.

"You okay?" She asked.

"No."

"What's wrong?" She asked, walking over to him and standing beside him. She saw he was crying. That was the last thing she would expect.

"It's just…what happened with my Uncle. I hate the way I treated him." Zuko responded.

"Your Uncle is smart, he knows you didn't mean it. I'm sure he understands." She said putting her hand on his shoulder and he turned to face her.

"Do you think he'd understand?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"Of course."

"You know… in the Crystal Catacombs, I wish that had happened." He said, pushing her hair behind her ear, then kissing her.

**AN: Okay this is my new Zutara Fic! Hope you liked it! I'm not so sure though, I have a few other versions I may try if this doesn't do good, so review it!**


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